Help
Getting TV on Syncbak
- Syncbak streams live broadcast television over the internet to mobile devices for TV stations carried on its platform. It is available at the Apple Store and Google Play.
- Here is a list of available markets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Syncbak available in my area?
Do I need an account?
What if no local channels appear when I download the app?
Why does it take so long for video to load?
What can I Watch?
Why is my video stream weak or choppy?
Can I watch content carried on a TV station outside of my market?
How do I turn closed captioning on or off?
Syncbak is available in these areas. The platform is free and over one hundred TV stations are streaming (or are preparing to stream) live content to viewers in their area. If Syncbak isn’t available where you live, please let us know via our Facebook page. Many stations are in the process of clearing content and will launch soon.
No. App users do not need an account. This prompt, available in the settings section of the app, is a log-in area for TV stations.
1. Check the location settings for your device and make sure they are enabled. Our app uses the location to determine available channels.
2. You will not see programming if you travel outside of the area covered by your local TV station. If you’re interested in this feature, please let us know at info@syncbak.com.
1. You may be in a weak WiFi signal or 3G spot. Please check your connectivity and try your player again.
2. Please make sure your device’s GPS and other “location services” are turned on.
Syncbak carries live local (and soon national) broadcast TV programming. If your local TV station(s) are carried on Syncbak you can view whatever content they are able to stream over the internet, live and on-demand.
1. You may be in a weak WiFi signal or 3G spot. Please check your connectivity and try your player again.
2. Make sure you have compatible software on your device. For Apple devices, iOS 5 or higher is required. For Android devices running Android version 2.x, flash is required. Flash is not required for Android devices running Android version 3.1 and higher.
3. Some streaming issues are related to factors within an individual TV station. Try another station in your market to see if your experience is the same.
Not yet. Distribution of live television programming in the US is governed by territorial exclusivity which means that local TV stations (who are typically affiliated with one of the four major broadcast networks – ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX) can only distribute programming to households that can be reached by their over-the-air broadcast signal. This system is protected by affiliation agreements and Federal law.
To distribute live broadcast programming over the internet, the same territorial exclusivity must be replicated to ensure appropriate compensation and protection of content owners (e.g., the NFL and Disney Studios). Otherwise, content owners, and advertisers who underwrite distribution of content, cannot be assured that only those stations (and viewers) who have the rights to distribute (and receive) their content are doing so.
Syncbak’s proprietary technologies and internet TV platform protect these rights and enable viewers to watch television over the internet on mobile or connected devices.
Closed captioning is available on the Syncbak app for channels and shows that have closed captioning capability. Not all do. When closed captioning is available you can turn it off and on for your device in the following way:
iOS: The global setting found in Settings >> Videos >> Closed Captioning (On/Off) determines the initial state of captions when a program is played.
If the global closed captioning setting is turned on when the stream is playing, captions will be present if they are available for the channel and show. Captions can be toggled on or off by tapping on the video, which brings up the player control overlay; from here, tap on the CC button. A blue CC button indicates captions are turned on. A white CC button indicates captions are turned off. Toggling captions on and off has no effect on the global setting.
If the global closed captioning setting is turned off for your device (and the show and/or channel is capable of closed captioning), you will see a white CC button. If you want to turn them on, tap the screen to bring up the player control overlay and tap the CC button (turning it blue).
Note: If no CC button is visible on the player control overlay, it indicates that the current channel is not capable of displaying closed captions. In addition, not all shows have captions, even if the channel is capable of presenting captions. If this is the case toggling the CC button on/off will have no visible affect.
Android: While on the Syncbak home screen in the app, tap your device’s settings button, then tap show video settings. Tap the display captions area to turn closed captioning on or off.
Support Form
Please use the form below if you have a specific support issue that was not answered in the Frequently Asked Questions.
